Deportation move on woman after miscarriage

AN ASYLUM seeker who suffered a miscarriage yesterday was being prepared for deportation by Irish authorities last night despite medical advice that she was unfit to fly.

Olayinka Ijaware, a Nigerian who was 7½ weeks pregnant, was taken to the Rotunda Hospital from Dublin airport yesterday afternoon.

After suffering a miscarriage, she was taken back into Garda custody and returned to Dublin airport, where she was scheduled to be deported, along with several other Nigerian asylum seekers.

Rosanna Flynn of the Residents Against Racism group – who was with Ms Ijaware at the hospital – obtained a letter from a doctor who treated her stating she was not in a fit condition to fly.

The letter, which is signed by a named senior house officer at the hospital, states: “To whom it concerns, the above named patient is unfit for air travel. She is actively bleeding per vagina. If you have queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.”

The Garda yesterday declined to comment, while the Department of Justice said it did not comment on individual cases.

However, a department spokesman said all deportation flights have a medical team of a doctor and nurse on board, as a matter of course.

The Rotunda Hospital declined to comment on the matter last night.

Ms Ijaware, who has two children aged seven and five, has been resident in Tramore, Co Waterford, for about four years.

She had her application for asylum rejected, but was still in the process of appealing the decision.

Ms Ijaware and her two children were escorted from their accommodation in Tramore in the early hours of yesterday morning by gardaí and transported to Dublin airport. She was then taken to hospital before being returned to the airport to join the other asylum seekers.

Ms Ijaware’s solicitor Brian Burns said he faxed the letter from the Rotunda to the Garda National Immigration Bureau office at Dublin airport yesterday evening, and discussed her medical status with gardaí. However, they told him a doctor at the airport had assessed her as fit to travel.

After sitting on the runway for some time, the flight was cancelled without explanation late last night. The group is expected to be deported at the next available opportunity.

Ms Flynn said she was alarmed at how the deportation was treated and called for an inquiry into the Garda’s handling of the case.